Evangelists Dedicate a ‘christian Embassy’ in Jerusalem As a Gesture of Solidarity with Israel

Evangelical Christians from 20 countries joined tens of thousands of Israelis yesterday in affirming their support of undivided Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. At ceremonies led by Dutch Pastor William van der Hoeven, the evangelists dedicated a “Christian Embassy” in Jerusalem as a gesture of solidarity with Israel.

Meanwhile, an estimated 20,000 Israelis, soldiers and civilians, participated in the annual “Jerusalem March, ” a parade that has become a tradition of the Succor season.

The Christian Embassy, located in the Reecho section of Jerusalem, was established as a reply to the 13 nations which moved their embassies out of Jerusalem after the Knesset proclaimed undivided Jerusalem Israel’s capital. Mayor Teddy Kollek, who shared the platform with van der Hoeven, told an audience of about 1000 Christians that their gesture “outweighs” the embassy closures. Those were acts of governments, he said, whereas the Christian Embassy represents authentic popular sentiment.

WILL SERVE AS INFORMATION CENTER

The Christian groups raised the flags of their home countries and pledged that the embassy would become a center for Israeli information work abroad.

The Jerusalem march drew Israelis from all parts of the country who assembled at the outskirts of the city in the morning and paraded through its main streets in the afternoon. Premier Menachem Begin greeted them from a reviewing stand in downtown Jerusalem where he was joined by Kollek and Chief of Staff Gen. Raphael Eytan. The parade was the first to be held in several years. It had been suspended for a time for financial reasons.